Ride of your Life
by Halley the Comet
Summary: Robin gets a promotion at work, and announces she's moving to Spain for a year. Barney receives a text from her asking him to meet her and he realizes he wants her back, but is involved in a car accident before he can reply. Can he get to her in time?
1. Chapter 1

**I'm back, with a new story! I do not own How I Met Your Mother. **

**I made this story when I was listening to my music. More to come soon! I know the time-frame might be slightly messed up, but I tried.**

'**Kids, in late 2012 your Uncle Barney and Aunt Robin were dating again, after almost three years apart. But it wasn't that simple…'**

In November 2012, Robin Sherbatsky had made a huge leap. The mishap with the helicopter had brought her instant fame, and her fire-O-clock had turned into a huge step in her career.

All in all, things were looking pretty good for her. Well, the thing with Ted wasn't great, but at least they were back to being friends. She just hoped things wouldn't go wrong again.

So when Robin was called into the office at WWN, she wasn't too surprised when they said…

'I got a promotion!' Robin announced when they were sat in Lily and Marshall's apartment. Everyone was there, including little Marvin, cooing to him softly. He was tucked up in his (now fixed) crib, a soft blue blanket wrapped around him.

They all looked up, suddenly interested. They leaned in and congratulated her.

'There is one…little thing they mentioned,' Robin said, summoning her fake smile. She used that smile when she did those little fluff pieces at Metro News One.

'What is it?' Ted asked. His incredible detective skills kicked in. Robin looked happy, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. She was fumbling with her hands, and she was using her reporter-smile. There was only one explanation…

'I'm moving to Spain,' Robin said, looking a little nervous as she awaited her friends' reactions. 'The plane leaves in two days. My boss wants me to go as soon as possible.'

'_What_?' Lily gasped. 'Spain? But…but how long for?'

'A year,' Robin said, almost sheepishly.

'A _year_?' Barney said. It was the first thing he had said to her since she had come into the room.

'Wow…Robin, that's great! Congratulations!' Marshall said, also looking taken aback. He was trying to be pleased for her. 'What are you going to do there?'

'Oh, there's this famous guy who lives there,' Robin said. 'I have to do reports on him each week. Hopefully it'll work out okay, but if it doesn't I can just come back. Anyway, it might not even be a year,' she added. 'I could be back sooner. Eight, nine months, maybe...?'

'Nine months!' Everyone started talking at once. Robin couldn't help but try to block out their chatter. They were pleased for her – she hoped.

_**(2 days later)**_

Robin's plane was due to leave at five o'clock. They had planned to throw her a surprise party, but in the end they decided to just have a drink in their usual booth.

Before they had come to the bar, Robin had pulled him aside from the others.

'I just wanted to say bye, in private,' she said quietly, so no one else would hear. 'And well…I'm sorry about…what happened with us.'

Barney stared at her, as if he didn't know what she was talking about. Of course, he did know. Every time he heard it, he felt that same ache in his chest.

Every time he tried something new, it always seemed to go wrong. Even with Quinn, it looked like things would work out. But even then, Robin came up. She would always come up.

_**(Flashback to August, 2012)**_

'_Barney, why could you not tell me this?' Quinn burst into their apartment, shouting angrily. 'We're engaged! How could you keep something like this from me?'_

'_I don't understand what you're so mad about, Robin and I broke up years ago!' Barney snapped._

'_You never told me you two dated though!' Quinn yelled at him. _

_That night ended with Quinn and Barney simply yelling at each other. After a while Quinn stormed out of the door and stayed at a friend's for the night. The next day she got her things from Barney's apartment, leaving the engagement ring on the table._

_**(Two days later)**_

Soon the clock was ticking. Barney left early, giving a quick hug to Robin. She wasn't going for a few hours yet. Still, he planned to come back when she set off.

He walked up the stairs, and waited for a cab. He didn't even know where he was going. He didn't know _why _he was going.

The cab drove on for a while. Barney mumbled the name of a strip club. _Not_ the Lusty Leopard.

He got out his iPhone and checked his messages. To his surprise there was one from Robin, asking if they could 'meet up' to talk before she left for Spain.

He was just about to text her back, when suddenly there was a scream of brakes. The cab screeched to a stop, but not before a blue car, speeding manically through the traffic, smashed into the side. There was a loud _BANG_, a sound of crushed metal. The cab half tipped over. Barney was thrown to the side, smacking his head painfully on the door of the car. Shattered glass rained down like sparkling diamonds. Before Barney was unconscious, he couldn't help thinking how pretty they looked. Just like her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Finally, I've had some time to finish off this chapter! It's taken me ages. Hope you like it, as it's a bit different from my usual writing style. (Also, if you've ever read my other fan fiction, you may notice a slight reference in here!)**

* * *

3:20PM – '_Barney, its Robin. Listen, do you want to meet up in an hour, maybe? I know we didn't really get a chance to talk properly in the bar, so I was wondering if we could before I set off…bye.'_

3:40PM – '_Hey, it's Robin. Where are you?'_

4:00PM – '_Barney, it's me again. Why aren't you answering? We're all in the bar but I have to go soon. Call me, okay?'_

* * *

Pain. The crunching noise. That was the first thing Barney remembered when he woke up. He panicked, thinking his bones had been crushed into sawdust, but to his relief his legs were fine, although there was a white bandage wrapped expertly around his left ankle and also his arm. When he got out of bed and put his weight on his ankle, a flash of pain ran through it. He limped back into bed quickly.

A nurse bustled into his room, smiling cheerily. 'How are we, Mr Stinson?' she asked Barney, checking the chart on the end of his bed.

'Okay…I guess,' Barney said awkwardly, staring at her. 'Um…' He glanced around, frowning. The place looked weirdly familiar…

Oh God.

He was in hospital.

'What happened?' he asked worriedly. A brief memory flashed in front of his eyes. A cab. A car.

'You were in a car accident, Mr Stinson,' the nurse informed him sympathetically. Barney blinked at her. He remembered the car driving, the driver twisting the steering wheel insanely as it smashed into the cab. 'A speeding car crashed into the cab that you were riding in, so I've been told.' Barney nodded dumbly. 'You've sprained your left ankle quite badly from when the cab tipped over, but you should be able to walk on it after some practice. Your arm was cut by the glass from the windows, and also slightly twisted. However it's a miracle that you've survived, especially with only your arm and ankle injured.'

Barney didn't really listen after that. The nurse gave him some food to eat, but he didn't touch it. The TV was also turned on, but he didn't watch it. Not that there was really anything to watch because it was switched onto a music channel.

He glanced at the time on the watch that lay on the table next to him. 4:24PM.

Why did he feel like he was missing something?

* * *

Robin hugged all of her friends in turn, surprised when she felt slight tears in her eyes.

She was supposed to go to the airport about ten minutes ago, but she didn't have the heart to go straight away. So she agreed to have one more scotch, and then get a cab to drive her there.

Robin checked her phone again. No new messages. She felt a flicker of annoyance at Barney. He couldn't be bothered to come but he could have at least _replied_.

Five more minutes, then she would definitely have to go. At least she knew one person who wouldn't miss her.

* * *

_Robin_.

Barney shot out of bed, hissing with pain at his injured ankle. He looked around desperately for his suit but he couldn't see it. He found shoes though, shoved into the corner of a room. He put them on quickly.

* * *

Ted wandered outside of MacLaren's. Robin had just set off. The gang had said a sad goodbye, with Robin promising to send postcards from Spain, and call everyday.

His phone rang. _'Let's Go to the Mall, everybody!'_ He flipped it open quickly. 'Hello?' he said.

'Ted Mosby? We have you for the emergency contact for a…Billy Stinson? No, sorry, _Barney_ Stinson,' the man's voice said, apologetically.

* * *

Barney looked around the room before opening the door and stepping out casually. When he saw no one around, he ran for the lift. A nurse suddenly rounded the corner and shouted at him. Before she could do anything, though, he was gone.

Several nurses started chasing him, calling to him that he wasn't allowed out.

He burst out of the double doors just as Lily, Ted and Marshall rounded the corner. He didn't see them, taking off into a wild sprint. He knew where the airport was. He just didn't know if he could get there in time.

In his hospital room, a song on the TV started to play.

* * *

_Big boy showing of all around the city,_

_Still the same Versace suit, thinking you're so bad._

* * *

'Barney! _Barney_!' Lily yelled.

'Where is he _going_? Is he even allowed out yet?' Marshall asked.

Ted was suddenly jolted into reality. 'I know where he's going,' he said.

* * *

_Hustlin' girls, handy phone, _

_acting like you're busy._

* * *

'New York Airport, please.'

The cab driver turned around in his seat and stared suspiciously at the blonde haired man, dressed in a hospital gown, who had a bandage on his arm and foot. It wasn't his job to be a detective though, so he obediently started to drive.

* * *

Robin sat waiting on the bench, wishing she could just board the damn plane already. She just wanted to go. She'd been waiting for ages.

Finally, the woman led her to where she was to put her bags. Then she would be boarding the plane, to Spain.

* * *

After trying to run past the ticket desk, Barney tried to convince the woman to let him past. Eventually he was made to buy a ticket after she threatened to call the police.

He went through the luggage line, and to his relief, he saw her.

Standing there.

So calmly she was going to go and just…leave them. How could she? Would she not think of how it would affect not only him, but all of them?

'Robin!' he shouted. She was going, she was _going_. She hadn't heard him. _Do_ something.

'Robin Sparkles!'

At the sound of her old name, Robin turned around, surprised. 'Barney!' she gasped, catching sight of him. 'Barney, what are you _doing_ here?'

'Robin…don't go to Spain.'

'_What_?'

* * *

_Highbrow attitude, really don't impress me,_

_I know where you're coming from, see right through your game,_

_Luxury overdose, won't make you possess me,_

_Baby let me tell you, in the end it's all the same._

* * *

'I don't want you to go…' He took a deep breath, his heart hammering in his chest. He was never any good with words. 'I want you to stay…and…I want to be with you.' Robin stared at him, still holding one bag in her hand. 'We didn't work out, and I understand why now…'

* * *

_Don't think I'm crying and trying to get,__  
__You out of my heart,__  
__No need denying that you have been lying__,__  
__Right from the start.__  
__I thought this love would take us to the__heights of sensuality,__  
__But now I know that you're not even half__  
__The man you said you'd be..._

* * *

'But I don't want you to go to Spain…'

Robin stared at him, her brain temporarily spinning a little. 'I thought you didn't care,' she said quietly, almost in a whisper. 'I called you, and you never replied.'

'What calls?' Barney asked, confused. He took out his phone (which luckily he had remembered to bring, but hadn't checked) and scrolled through the settings.

_**3 missed calls [Robin]**_

_**6 texts [Robin]**_

'Oh,' he said. 'I didn't realise.'

His finger slipped and one of the texts opened up. 'What did you want to talk about?'

Robin paused. She glanced at the doorway. There she could have a life of sun, money, and cocktails, sitting at the side of a pool and interviewing a person who actually mattered. Doing real news.

She looked back at him.

'This,' she said, moving forward towards him. She kissed him slowly, softly. The thing that they had been missing all along, but had never said so.

After a minute or two, Robin dared ask the question that had been in her head for a while now. 'Why are you wearing a hospital gown?' she asked.


End file.
